A YOUNG mum has had her blonde locks shaved off to raise money for Cancer Research UK in memory of her mother who died recently.

"My children won't recognise me when they come home and they've already said they're going to disown me!," said Redcar woman Paula Barker, 28, as her hair fell to the floor.

The mother-of-two had raised £689 in two weeks before her head was shaved at Vogue Hairdressers on Queen Street on Wednesday last week.

Her mother, June Barker, was just 58 when she died of cancer of the head and neck last November.

Collection boxes have been placed around the town, including one at the hairdressers where people can still donate money.

Paula said: "They've been great at the British Steel Club where mum used to do line-dancing and I would like to thank them."